Process of making curtain-rings.



No. 802,824. PATBNTED OUT. 24, .1905. A. L. PARKER.

PROCESS OF MAKING CURTAIN RINGS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1904.

INVENTOR:

WITNESSES: M OZZ- 9W5 By Afzomeys,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PROCESS OF MAKING CURTAIN-RINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

Application filed May 12, 1904- Serial No. 207,704:-

(LAL whom it may concern.

Be it known that LALBERT L. PARKER,a citizen of the United States, residing at Rome, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Process of Making Curtain-Rings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the manufacture of curtain-rings and the like and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

Curtain-rings are now usually made by drawing a strip of brass or other metal into the form of a spiral tube and then separating its convolutions by cutting the spiral lengthwise, after which the ends of each of the separated convolutions are united, by brazing or otherwise, to form the ring. An eyelet is usually attached to the ring to form a convenient fastening-point for the curtain. The operation of joining the ends of the ring has heretofore involved considerable trouble and expense, and to obviate this difficulty it has been proposed to construct a continuous or seamless ring from an annular sheet-metal blank by forming the latter into a ring of U-shaped cross-section and then turning the edges toward each other until they meet. Such rings have not, however, been a commercial success, due principally to the fact that the abutting edges of the completed ring form a seam on what may be called one of the sides of the ring, so that it is plainly visible when the ring is in place upon the pole. This disadvantage is obviated by my present invention, according to which I form the ring from a sheet-metal disk, which is preferably drawn to cup shape, its bottom stamped out, and its sides curled or bent into tubular form, these operations being conducted in such manner that the abutting edges of the metal are brought close together upon the inner side of the ring.

In the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated the preferred mode of practicing my invention, Figure 1 is a plan of the disk or blank which I prefer to use. Fig. 2 is a cross-section illustrating the same after the drawing operation, which leaves the blank in substantially cup form. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the cup-shaped blank after it has been trimmed. Fig. 4 is a similar View showing the cup after its bottom has been removed. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the completed ring; and Fig. 6 is a plan of the ring, partly in section, illustrating a convenient mode of attachment of the eyelet thereto.

Referring to the drawings, let A designate a sheet-metal blank, which for convenience is formed a circular disk. The disk A is placed in a suitable press and drawn to cup shape, as shown at A, Fig. 2, the latter preferably comprising a flat bottom portion a and vertical sides 6. Preferably also the dies are so formed as to provide the cup with an intermediate semicircular portion 0, which extends around the bottom a and eventually forms the lower half of the ring. The drawing operation leaves the upper edge of the cup in a somewhat uneven condition, and it is preferable at this point to trim the blank so as to remove this unevenness in order that the abutting edges of the finally formed ring may lie close together. The blank should be trimmed as close to the edge as possible to avoid waste, as indicated at d, Fig. 2, the trimmed blank being shown at A Fig. 3. The bottom a is then cut out by any suitable punching mechanism, preferably along the line of the juncture between itand the intermediate portion-c, as indicated at a, Fig. 3. The separated bottom may be utilized to form a smallersized ring or may be otherwise disposed of. The cup with its bottom removed is illustrated at A, Fig. 4. The sides 6 are then curled or bent around, as shown in dotted lines in this figure, thus forming the upper half of the ring. This bending operation may be accomplished in any suitable manneras, for instance, by spinning the sides over in a lathe or by stamping or bending them down in a press. Fig. 5 illustrates the completed ring A in cross'section. It will be observed that the seam flies along the inner side of the ring, so that it is quite invisible when the ring is in place upon the pole, the abutting edges of the metal lying close together, and being directed toward each other, so that the ring presents a smooth and even surface at this point. This is a practical necessity in this class of rings, because otherwise the pole would be scratched or otherwise marred by the abrasive action of the metal edges.

Any suitable eyelet may be used in connection with my improved ring. In Fig. 61 have shown the form I prefer to employ, which consists of two eyes g 9, having oppositelyinclined arms, which are passed through a hole formed in the ring-body and which bear against the inner side of the tubular wall of the ring. A gromet it is passed through the coinciding apertures in the eyes g g and is riveted therein, thus holding the eyes in place, as shown.

I do not wish to be limited in practicing my lnvention to the precise mode described nor the exact form of ring illustrated, as various changes may be made therein without departing from the Spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention the following-defined novel features, substantially as hereinbefore specified, namely:

1 The process of forming a continuous ring, which consists in forming a sheet of metal 1nto c1rcular shape with a central circular opening and then curving said metal into tubular form, with its edges lying close together on the inner side of the ring.

2. The process of making a continuous ring, Which consists in drawingasheet-metal blank to form a cup having a portion of its bottom removed, and then bending the metal into tubular form.

3. The process of making a continuous ring which consists in drawing a sheet-metal blank to cup shape, cutting out the bottom thereof, and bending the metal into tubular form so that its edges lie close together on the inner side of the ring.

[IL- The process of making a continuous ring which consists in drawing a circular sheetmetal blank into cup shape, so that the bottom thereof is joined to its sides by an intermediate curved portion, cutting out the bottom of said cup, and bending around the sides thereof to substantially meet the edge of such intermediate portion.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT L. PARKER.

itnesses:

THEODORE T. SNELL, EUGENE V. MYERS. 

